Recto asks NBI to lead crackdown on new airport modus

MANILA — Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto on Thursday urged the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and other government authorities to lead the crackdown on the alleged “Maleta Gang” syndicate victimizing travelers at the country’s premier airport.

“It took a foreign VIP to lodge a complaint before authorities finally took action against a continuing crime routinely posted by its victims, our OFWs, in social media,” Recto said in a statement.

The senator called the attention of the law enforcers following the arrest of four baggage handlers at the Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) for allegedly stealing the jewelry of Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu’s wife on Wednesday.

Recto also urged other “non-NAIA based agencies” to join the probe, saying that “intelligence fund” should be used if needed.

“Hindi na pwede na taga-NAIA lang, tulad ng NAIA police (It should not be just the people in NAIA like the NAIA police). You have to bring in outside investigators,” he said. “Kung kailangang gamitan ito ng intelligence fund (If it necessitates the use of intelligence fund), it will be good money worth spending.”

“When you steal from OFWs, who are returning from long and low-paying hard labor abroad, then you are an enemy of the state,” Recto added.

Recto said tourism efforts were also negated by the “bad press” the country’s main gateway was getting.

“One of the worst airports na nga in terms of passenger facilities and traffic congestion, tapos enveloped pa in other controversies,” Recto said.

Despite the country’s top tourist spots, Recto also lamented that the controversies surrounding NAIA were causing “stigma.”

“Maganda nga beaches natin, smiling nga tayo (Our beaches are beautiful, we are always smiling) but we’re having a hard time living down the stigma that our airport is either they plant a bullet in your bag or they divest it of its contents,” he said.

The senator also pointed out that money should not be a problem in transforming NAIA’s image into an honest institution, once “a few bad eggs working there” are fired.